Javaka Steptoe, Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
Homework Assignment:
1.) Writer Kathryn Zickuhr reports that “children’s books, which often feature large illustrations and may incorporate various tactile elements, aren’t as well suited to e-ink or touchscreens.” Do you agree? If so, what exactly is lost by reading a picture book in a digital format?
2.) In the “About This Book” section at the end of Hiroshima No Pika, Maruki writes, “It is very difficult to tell young people about something very bad that happened, in the hope that their knowing will keep it from happening again.” Do you agree with this statement? Is this a story that, while difficult to hear, must be told to children? In thinking about this question and what children can handle, you might consider looking back to the Bettelheim reading from Unit 2.
3.) To state the obvious, Hiroshima No Pika deals with heavy, graphic subject matter. Yet, while one might expect the pictures in this picturebook to be unbearably violent, they are surprisingly subdued. How do the illustrations both reinforce the message of the book while also making this difficult subject a bit easier for children to cope with?
4.) When Where the Wild Things Are was first published, some psychologists worried that it would encourage “wild” or unruly behavior in their children. Since then, however, Where the Wild Things Are has become a children’s classic, beloved by young readers, parents, and even former President Obama. What, in your opinion, were those early psychologists and critics missing out on? What is this book truly about and what can it inspire in children?
5.) While Silverstein’s The Giving Tree is economical, both in words and illustrations, it’s surprisingly complex in terms of messaging. Many readers have pointed to a similarity between the tree and the boy and a typical parent-child relationship. Others believe this to be a story about the virtue and joy of selflessness and generosity. What do you think? Is giving to others always the right thing to do? Can you ever give too much?
6.) Theodor Geisel (also known as Dr. Seuss) claims that he wrote The Sneetches to express his aversion to anti-semitism. How does this message translate to children? What do you think children might gain from reading this story?
7.) Stepcoe begins Radiant Child by encouraging young readers to “create using the materials, people, and places in their environment.” This invitation is then reinforced by the fact that Stepcoe created the story’s artwork using materials she found on the streets of New York. How does this book challenge traditional definitions of art? Why might this wider definition of art be beneficial to children?
8.) Radiant Child also features a complicated relationship between a son and his mentally ill mother. How does Stepcoe work to make a difficult subject more palatable for young children?
